One of the San Francisco Bay area's top jazz vocalists, Frankye Kelly puts a lot of honest feeling into her singing. "I interpret the songs that have the most meaning to me. I have a wide range and I can sound like any horn but I feel that the voice is its own instrument. I love to be one of the instruments in my band, singing from my heart.
It was obvious from an early age that Frankye Kelly would be a singer. Living in Jackson, Mississippi for a few years with her grandparents, she remembers performing in a play when she was just three. Since her father was in the Air Force, her childhood was spent living in many different locations including California, Minnesota, Germany and Deleware and back to California. She heard the music of Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Sarah Vaugan along the way as well as Fats Domino and Little Richard although most of her early singing was in church, acapella groups and choirs.
She mostly sang r&b during this period and had a local hit with her recording of Johnnie Mae Matthews' "I Have No Choice". She did backup singing for Marlena Shaw and for Roslyn Ashford formerly of Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. She led her own group, Flyght, which matched her voice with that of four male singers.

In 2006, Frankye Kelly spent six months singing in China, performing in Shanghai during a pair of lengthy visits. In addition, she made some noteworthy appearances in the Bay area. Clearly with her talents, she is destined to have a much higher profile in the United States. Being a Buddhist, she has high aspirations for the future. "I want to continue to sing and teach, performing my music for large audiences.I am working for world peace through music. I feel that jazz brings peace and love to all of those who hear it."